[Effect of potato cultivar on acrylamide formation in potato chips]

ABSTRACT

In April 2002, a research group at Stockholm University and the Swedish Food Administration announced that significant amounts of acrylamide might be formed during common heat processing of foods. Since acrylamide is classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC], these findings were considered as alarming. The most important food sources of dietary acrylamide are fried potato products like chips and French fries, which are popular snacks in Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of reducing sugars and amino acids in three 'potato cultivars on acrylamide formation in potato chips produced on a laboratory scale. Potato chips samples were produced on lab-scale from three potato cultivars namely Sante, Agria and Omidbakhsh by frying at 180°C for 4.15 min. Reducing sugars [glucose and fructose] and asparagine concentration in raw potato samples were determined using HPLC. A suitable and valid method was set up for determination of acrylamide in the chips samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, GC/MS. The reducing sugars and acrylamide contents were significantly different among potato chips samples produced from different cultivars [p<0.05]. The highest amount of reducing sugars was found in cultivar Sante [3513 mg/kg] followed by Agria [2111 mg/kg] and Omidbakhsh [1622 mg/kg], respectively. On the other hand, cultivar Omidbakhsh had the highest amount of asparagine [1871 mg/kg]. The highest amount of acrylamide [8825 mg/kg] was formed in the chips from cultivar Sante and the lowest amount was formed in the chips from cultivar Omidbakhsh [5112 micro g/kg]. A high content of asparagine in raw potatos was not necessarily an indication of high content of acrylamide in the produced chips. The two cultivars with higher content of reducing sugars, showed the higher potential for acry1amide formation in the chips. This indicates that the concentration of reducing sugars is a more important parameter than asparagine content in the formation of acrylamide in potato chips. The selection of proper potato cultivars with naturally lower contents of precursors of acrylamide specially reducing sugars is important factor to reduce the acrylamide formation during production of potato chips. With respect to the results obtained from this study, it is suggested that cultivar Omidbakhsh is the most suitable cultivar in Iran for the industrial production of potato chips with low levels of acrylamide